A Mother's Sword: Devil's Disciple
by Durriken
Summary: Sequel to A Mother's Sword: Devil's Analogy. How far will Kushina go to save her child...?
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: Kushina Uzumaki

**XXX**

In the beginning...there was love, pure and unconditional.

There was joy and happiness.

Such tender emotions held close yet wrapped in an all-consuming veil of treachery.

For one mother of the village hidden in leaves, she went through a world of mental anguish and physical turmoil, all for the sake of one day helping her child realize his greatest dream.

What was that dream? Why, the same character-building dream that most young aspiring shinobi have after hearing the tales and reading the lore.

To become Hokage.

Like any woman worthy of the title 'mother' would do, she wanted only the best for her son. Circumstances kept them from seeing one another but her resolve did not waver.

She fought for her child's dream. She bled for it. She _cried_ for it. All of this pain she would gladly endure if it meant in the end she would be able to see his smile. She wanted him to know that he _was_ worth something to the people of Konoha, and that he was worth everything to her.

But alas...fate had other plans.

Plans which did not include a mother reuniting with her son nor achieving his dream. Plans that left the mother in a black sea of regret while her son spilled tears over her corpse.

But this woman was not ordinary. She was not weak. And she was very determined. Determined enough to defy the prince of darkness when told to stand down. Her strength was impressive, any fool could see as much, but it takes more than that.

It takes heart, the willingness to sacrifice everything without fear of consequence for yourself.

This woman had sacrificed much and gained nothing but pain for her efforts.

Otherworldly powers decided it can't end like this.

It won't.

So she has been given a second chance and a new title. A second chance to do things right, and the title? The title harkens from olden times when the oldest shinobi were still young. To her, that title is meaningless and will surely be forgotten the moment she awakens into her new life.

For right now, there is only one title she wishes to reclaim:

The title of _Mother_.

This is her journey now...as the Devil's Disciple.

**XXX**

A/N: And it begins where it started.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Citrus green tea is delicious. Anyway, enjoy.

**XXX**

She awoke, inhaling fetid air into her lungs for what felt like the first time in centuries. Her eyes peeled apart, breaking the clumps of dried mud caked to her face.

The act of breathing came as naturally as it did when she was first born, and she likened the experience to what she was going through now. Every inch of her battered body was coming online again with shocking tingles; she gasped, lifting her face from the dirt. That movement alone caused her to groan in anguish, most of the agony stemming from somewhere in her midsection...which was submerged in grimy, dark-green swamp water.

As consciousness returned, Kushina threw a weary glance around, not at all surprised to find herself in the outer limits of Konoha's forest. That made sense. Nothing could ever be easy where she was concerned, if it were then what would there be to gain from it? Like a tangible haze, the sun lanced its heat down through the thick canopy above, baking Kushina in its warmth. Being trained as she was, one look told her it was just passing noon, twelve minutes after if she wanted to get precise.

"Nnngh…."

The feel of being immersed in such fetid water had what little femininity Kushina retained screaming its head off. Sucking in her bottom lip, she began to pull herself out. She never imagined such a task could be so taxing, both physically and mentally—she was literally sweating, chest heaving by the time she rolled onto her back, now with only her legs dangling over the edge.

Out of the blue, as she lay there on a bed of decayed grass and broken twigs, Kushina began to laugh. It was in no way a carefree, happy laugh, but a 'what in the hell am I doing?' kind of laugh. She could feel blood escaping the incision on her side, leaking fluids as though she'd sprung a leak. If infection didn't kill her first then blood loss surely would….

She worked her throat. It felt raw and hurt like hell but she inhaled the telluric air and groaned out, "Brought back...j-just to die again…."

Another laugh, this one shorter. As more of her brain began to turn, she became aware of the object tied to her waist. Her katana. A faint smile split her lips. If that was there, then maybe…? She pushed feeling into her left arm and touched her pocket, overjoyed when she felt the shape of her special kunai.

The pain in her side was dimming so she put a hand to it, wincing at both the stinging prick she received and the nauseating feel of blood rushing over her fingers.

"I...I…." Talking was still a chore to her abraded throat yet she growled through it. "_I refuse to die again._"

_**So, your conviction has been found. Well said, oh damned soul**_.

A block of ice feel into Kushina's stomach when that chthonic voice seemed to echo in from every direction yet she remained still, glancing down her chest at the swamp—it was starting to froth and bubble with an angry hiss. She inhaled, expecting the flesh of her legs to be seared off the bone, but the pain never came. With her heart racing, Kushina watched as what looked like a glistening black anaconda broke the murky surface, rising and arching towards her.

_Oh my God…._

She knew fear for the third time since her 'rebirth' when her eyes found the grotesque boar's head attached to the creatures neck; it had the texture of worn leather, pulsing like it was seconds from exploding, and had massive, curled horns sprouting from its lumpy forehead. Nothing but darkness loomed from its empty sockets and Kushina looked away, managing to turn her head as well.

_**Are you scared of my appearance, damned soul?**_

Not being one to lie, Kushina answered, "Initially, yes...but n-now it's j-just offensive t...to my eyes…."

Where there should have been a mouth there was only a savagely carved 'X' that dripped a steady stream of red liquid onto Kushina's semi-paralyzed form; every drop racked her body with a cold spasm. But yet...it managed to still have a voice—

A low rumble pushed itself agonizingly into Kushina's ears and she knew it was laughing. What a horrible sound. She instantly replaced it with Naruto's loving tone and sighed contently.

_**To my word, I have brought you back**_, the boar's head continued, rocking back and forth as though caught in a wind. _**You are just as you were when you left this world.**_

That much was plain to see, Kushina figured, shuddering as she felt blood from that monster pooling on her exposed stomach.

_**It is one day prior to the moment that very nearly destroyed a great village. Although it vexes me to have released so many souls, I feel given more time and more opportunities you will be able to surpass your admittedly excellent performance of that night**_. There was a sickening pleasure to its voice that pushed bile to the back of Kushina's throat. _**Damned soul...you are anything but daft. You know the mistakes you have made; the decisions you felt in the moment to go one way yet you went another, blindsided by the adrenaline; and you know full well that glory can be had. **_

That much was true and Kushina knew it. She could list ten mistakes off the top of her head that lead to the ruination of her glorious plan. It began with not making sure Sakumo was at his best and ended with getting distracted by the supposed death of her child, which allowed Ibiki to fatally wound her. She should have known better—she was once the Nine-Tail's carrier! How could she forget such an important detail? If it weren't for that moment...maybe….

_No...that's no longer the objective_, she thought forcibly, ignoring the fierce heat that came with this monstrosity bearing down on her. _It was that type of thinking that got me into this situation. There's only way to handle this—_

_**And that would be what, damned soul?**_

Kushina's eyes widened. _Shit_. She didn't answer, only narrowing her eyes at the boar's head, willing it to explode with all the hatred she was exuding.

_**By all means, refrain from holding back your thoughts. On this world, you have free will, something I cannot touch. I cannot make you go through with your earlier attempt at mass genocide. How you choose to handle your new life—such that it is—is up to you, damned soul. **_

While highly disappointed with herself for thinking her mind was secure around this thing, Kushina couldn't help the minuscule relief that flooded her body. So she had freedom—

_**In a sense**_, the voice interrupted. _**You are still my property. Your soul still resides with me. I can take you back anytime I deem it fit that you aren't serving me to the standards I have set for you.**_

"I...will not...serve you," Kushina ground out, beginning to regain feeling in her legs; she could just about wriggle her toes.

_**Then I shall drag your body down to your proper resting place and give you top honor for the Skitters to play with**_, the voice suggested. _**You and your demonic child.**_

The words 'demonic child' lanced energy throughout Kushina's lower half and it was pure reflex when she kicked out at the creature. She instantly regretted that. The moment her foot came in contact with it's glisteningly slimy skin it felt as though she'd been set aflame; agony unlike anything she'd ever known tore through every vein she possessed. The pain restricted her voice—her heart exploded—

_**Am I to accept your actions as an answer?**_ the voice queried.

As her limp leg splashed back down into the swamp water, it took Kushina a good minute to quit convulsing where she lay in order to respond. "N-no...I'll...I'll do it…."

_**Good girl**_. _**Now listen to my words as it would be nothing short of disappointing for you to fail due to your own stubbornness. As I cannot be with you at all times I have made your precious katana an origin of communication for us—**_

"_You dare touch_—" Kushina began savagely but the creature suddenly lunged forward until its horns pierced the forest floor on either side of her head.

_**Being interrupted by a soul as corrupt as yours is very displeasing to me. You have one more chance before I sear your mouth off**_. And the boar-headed snake waited for one full minute, watching as Kushina squirmed underneath it, flinching whenever a droplet of blood struck her defiant face. _**Now...your sword will act as a means of communication between us. God have mercy on your soul should you lose or break it. You will also not be known by those under my command by your human name—we will acknowledge your pitiful existence as the 'Hiro Shi'.**_

The words 'scarlet death' immediately met Kushina's ears and she scowled, figuring it was okay to talk now that the beast had paused. "I...won't answer to th-that," she gasped, vigorously fighting the hold death had on her neck from bloodloss. "It's...really unimaginative...a-and there's only one t-title I w-want to be known as…."

Ripping up chunks of dirt, the boarish creature reared back once more. _**Ah yes...the title of mother. It might be better for your mental health to let that aspiration go. I can tell you now it will not come to pass. The actions of your previous life have branded you to the fires of hell. I hold your soul, remember?**_

Although her jaw tightened, Kushina said nothing.

_**Obedience is such a savory experience**_, the voice shuddered, _**and as much as the following tempts me to allow otherwise…you must kill yourself.**_

Being a woman of sharp intuition and great intelligence, Kushina understood those words perfectly and knew what they entailed. The fallout of being dropped in the past would, of course, mean that in a sense she had never died, thus there would be another crimson-haired kunoichi roaming around. And that could not be tolerated, neither by the laws that govern this universe nor by Kushina. The news did nothing to lower her resolve—in fact, she considered that the easy part.

As someone once said: there can only be one.

_**If you understand as much then it should be equally obvious what you need to do and the consequences to follow should you fail**_, and when it paused, Kushina nodded, for the first time ever in agreement with this hellish thing._** Now, I have but one more thing left to give you.**_

And without a word of warning, the creature lunged—the X over it's mouth suddenly ripped apart, strands of flesh and sinew separating to reveal a four-pronged mouth riddled with crooked black fangs. Before Kushina could move, it snapped about her throat. She opened her mouth but no sound came forth...the pain...it overtook even the hole in her side...she couldn't breath properly...her vision blew out in a sea of white….

_Naruto…._

The boar-headed snake clamped down harder, relishing the pained gurgle that echoed up past the blood in Kushina's throat, then released her, watching with those eyeless sockets as her body convulsed once...twice...then went limp.

Yes...she would make an excellent subordinate. More so than any other, she not only had power, but _determination_. To suffer all of this grief, this pain, the agonizing knowledge that her journey will end in darkness no matter how it's done...such a delicacy should be eaten slowly, every bite savored. The white of Kushina's eyes were showing; the trickles of blood escaping her open mouth sparkled under the sunlight; the mangled clumps of flesh that used to be her throat could almost be considered art—she truly was a beautiful specimen when drenched in red….

_**Alas...now is not yet the time**_. _**For now, I will enjoy a duel between two deadly women.**_

And with that, the demonic creature dove headfirst into Kushina's mouth, squeezing inside quite easily despite its size. Kushina's throat bulged as the body followed, splashing up out of the swamp to join the head; several things within the kunoichi's hardened body gave way with grisly snaps.

_**Potential in spades...a body that can be likened to iron...and blood both redder than an apple and sweeter than the purest soul. Do not disappoint me…'mother' Kushina**_**.**

**XXX**

Kushina awoke with a start, gasping, shooting up into a sitting position. She didn't give her brain time to catch up and began clawing at her throat, expecting to feel blood-gushing gashes. Instead, what she felt was untouched skin, smooth if somewhat dry.

_What…what did that creature do to me?_

She glanced down at her side and saw all the blood she had spilt but no wound to match it. As her heart slowed in tempo, she became increasingly aware of the fact that she felt no pain whatsoever: nothing of her side, her throat, the feel of that monster crushing her internal organs—

She stared down at her legs hanging over the swamps edge, felt her stomach lurch, and knew what was coming before it happened. It wasn't vomit she burped up—it was a thick black sludge that left a sour aftertaste on her tongue when she finished. She quickly withdrew her legs, not surprised to see an abundance of leeches and slugs attached to her pruned skin.

Picking them off proved painful but it grounded her mind, allowed her to recall what had just happened. She remembered that boar-headed snake, having her throat torn apart, then it dove into her mouth. That last thought made her shudder but she was fine now. Dwelling on it would do no good. When the last slug had been removed, she brushed the dirt from her face and stood, ignoring the fact that she was barefoot.

_The day before we attacked Konoha...where as I?_ she wondered, noticing how her straggly crimson hair went everywhere in an annoying fashion. Before her 'rebirth' she knew such a thing would never have irked her like it did now and could only chalk it up to becoming reacquainted with feelings lost during her Z.N.O training. She frowned slightly; that prospect didn't exactly please her.

"It must be for a reason," Kushina sighed, taking the golden tassel from her katana. She pulled her hair back into a horsetail, looked towards the dense forest, and brought her chakra to a fine point, ready to fend off whatever animal happened over her path. She knew where she was: nine klicks away from the Z.N.O compound. If memory served her right, around this time the 'other' Kushina should be there, relaxing after besting Itachi during a sparring session.

Kushina had a second chance now. Like that creature had said, she knew the mistakes from her previous life and she would be damned if she fell into them again. There was too much riding on this, too many lives in the balance for her to mess up again. She had a plan, and it began with showing this 'past Kushina' the point of her blade.

"Alright. Time to go."

**XXX**

A/N: Any words (kind or horribly crushing) are greatly appreciated so long as reasons are given. No, ya know what, I can't censor reviews. Tell me what you wanna tell me.

**Mastur Cheef: ****Is the conviction on Kushina's side of the relationship because Naruto was all she had left?** Most definitely.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Enjoy.

Chapter 3: Skitters

**XXX**

"Now _these_ are peculiar."

As Kushina walked through the lush forest, her chakra blared dominantly to ensure no wild animal charges, she examined the markings over her wrists. It didn't look like any inking she'd ever seen—in fact, when she picked at it, going so far as to draw blood, she toyed with the notion that somehow her skin had been altered. It was an insignia, one that depicted a cracked heart that had been pierced by two swords, one short, the other long, while a chain encompassed the entire piece.

Without warning, tears sprung to Kushina's eyes yet her face remained emotionless. She knew what that symbolized. The fractured heart was hers, pierced through by the short sword that was Naruto and the longsword which was Minato; the two of them were the only people on this earth she was capable of loving, yet that love came at a painful price. The chain that kept them together signified her longing for all of them to remain close even though deep down she knew that was a dream never meant to be.

A track of water dripped down her clenched jaw and the wind blew it away.

"A mothers job…."

Deftly stepping past bushes she knew to be fatally poisonous with a single scratch, Kushina let her wrist drop limply. She had to keep marching—no time for rest, no time to second-guess—as she'd already agreed to this fate. The prospect of fighting herself was daunting. She considered it the easiest part only because it was _her_ so that meant no surprise techniques or attacks...but it also meant fighting an opponent just as clever as she was, who could grasp situations with frightening speed and come up with strategies on the fly.

The easiest part? Hell, this would be the hardest.

If she failed, well...death for her and her son was a definite but it also meant the past Kushina would go ahead with her plan and raze the village in fire. Or would she? Kushina's brain was beginning to throb as she pushed the limits of her mind. If she failed...and Naruto died...then that meant this world's Naruto would die, so wouldn't that distract the past Kushina from her original plan? Or would it only increase her rage? She remembered completely losing it when she thought Naruto had died, how she ripped Ibiki and Ebisu into bloody chunks with a mere thought.

_No. The death of her—_our_—son would be the last straw._ _There'd be no stopping her—I mean me…._

A spasm of pain ran through Kushina's temple, a warning if any that she was thinking entirely too much. So she did as she was taught and promptly ceased all thought. If only to allow herself a moment of clarity she thought back to her trainer; she had to wonder where they were now? It had been so long since she'd seen them and, truth be told, she could really use their guidance….

"No," she said firmly, straightening her back, quickening her gait, "I'm no longer a child. This is my burden and I'll carry it alone. If I can't handle this much I don't deserve the right to hug my child again…."

The sun had dropped a few precious feet in the sky above by the time Kushina came to a pause next to a tall redwood tree, one hand to it as she intensified her gaze. In the distance she could just about make out the Zero Ninja compound: it was a three-story building made of a glistening, pearly white material that seemed impervious to damage of any sort, which allowed for intense training sessions and practice battles. Hidden in the crux of Konoha's vast forest, she could count on one hand the number of times they'd had intruders. That was the first and foremost rule of the Z.N.O: _whosever sets foot upon our grounds and is not a member, be it family or best friend, it shall be the last step they take._

To memory, Kushina couldn't recall the number of time she'd had to steer Naruto away from her compound, especially when he was chased away from the village, driven into the dense forest. Had he discovered the Z.N.O grounds there was no doubt in her mind it would have caused civil war between the members because she knew she wouldn't kill him and she would be damned if any other did. Without being seen, she would gently push her child in another direction by either throwing something at him heavy enough to knock him off course or else send out an animal to chase him some other way. Sometimes it was funny, like when he as merely exploring with his insatiable curiosity, and then sometimes it was gut-wrenching, seeing him stumbling over bushes and logs in his haste to escape his captors.

The villagers who gave chase...well, Konoha already had an overabundance of prejudice and ignorance. What's a few more down the drain of life?

Kushina had stopped where she had for a very good reason. Each member of the Z.N.O had set up traps that encompassed a five-hundred meter circle around the compound, extra security should the day come when they were all away on missions. That was never the case and never allowed but, as they all knew, he who didn't plan for the impossible was a fool indeed. Every member was to memorize where all the traps were as drills were ran through them once a week—if you failed death was the price you paid for your negligence and failure to keep up.

While Kushina and Itachi ran the traps more times than necessary, she knew she had the skill to trip one and come out of it alive, not whole and certainly not with all of her limbs, but alive at least. Triggering one was not an option as doing so would bring out every member of the Z.N.O to investigate and not even Kushina could handle them all on her own, add to it the confusion when they saw a second crimson-haired kunoichi.

_I trip one, I die_, she thought, readying herself.

Unconsciously, just in case her skills had diminished in the span of her death to now, she freed her katana...and nearly had a stroke. Her crimson blade...it was now pitch-black. With the words '_Hiro-Shi'_ inscribed near the base, and the guard was a shimmering gold, almost like a liquid, that enveloped the blade in such a way that it gave the impression of a flower giving birth to metal.

Kushina frowned. Then set to work picking at the blade, trying desperately to chip away that corroding paint and unearth the maroon color she'd grown so attached too. Halfway into this vain endeavor she realized how childish she was acting, standing slightly hunched over, sword hilt between her legs as she scraped. But she didn't care! That was _her_ sword! Her trainer had given that to her when she first completed her training!

Meeting her child and dying had brought forth emotions Kushina had not felt for over a decade, and the one she was about to experience now was called a 'throwing a tantrum'. Was not that a childish thing to do?

_Yes. Yes, it is_, she decided, calming herself with a deep exhale of frustration. Her blade was now black, nothing she could do about it. Tossing it was not an option—even though the urge was strong—partly because it held sentimental value and partly because it was tied to her life.

Digging her toes under the root of the tree, Kushina pierced the bark with her fingers and bent at a heavy lean, scanning the tight patch of fauna before her. She knew for a fact that one of her traps was—

_SCREEEE_—

Kushina dropped down to her knees without a thought, her gaze shooting skywards. She immediately saw a bright red bird flying overhead, heading away from the village. "That's...my special messenger bird," she whispered, her eyes widening. She only used it when sending scrolls to the other members so why—

Something blunt slammed into Kushina's with brain-jarring force—her eyes bulged, her feet left the ground—and she was thrown back the way she came, smashing through the trunk of a thick tree. The pain knocked her senses into overdrive and she performed a graceful flip mid-air, slamming her feet to the ground, digging deep to slow her skid backwards. The moment she came to a halt she reached up, putting a hand to her chest. Her heart...it still beat despite the trauma—how?

A shadow colder than death overcame the surrounding area and Kushina slowly lifted her head, watching as something bulky fell from the very sky itself with such force the ground quaked. It was...a demon. That was the first word that came to Kushina's tiring mind and it was the tag that best fit this monstrosity. Looming over her at what she guessed was ten, eleven feet, this _thing_ had the anatomy of a human except covered with sagging, corroded flesh and blades for limbs. The skull had no hair, no eyes, no facial features at all but it was bent backwards exposing the mouth torn into its neck. Black teeth gnashed out at Kushina who had to refrain from gagging on the stench assaulting her nose. Above it's mutilated head hovered a glistening black ring.

_A halo_, Kushina realized, wincing internally at the wretched wheezing noises escaping it's throat-mouth. Just watching this creature tilt and sway offended Kushina in every way imaginable.

Yet she extended her blade out to the side, the look on her face paramount and unmoving. "And you are…?" she questioned.

The sound that came from its mouth was in no way, shape or form English; it was a series of metallic clicks and guttural hissing yet Kushina understood it perfectly. "A collection of five damned souls….A Skitter."

She'd begun to sweat now. Why was it she could understand this demon? It...what did that mean?

"And what business do you have with me?"

She watched it intently, catching every motion. For a moment, the Skitter stilled itself. Then it dove at Kushina who threw up her blade horizontally, pushing her other arm against it as a brace. The impact nearly snapped her in half when the demon rammed into her. She was being charged backwards before she knew what was happening, struggling to keep her sword up, to keep from being skewered—

Her back collided with a boulder and all movement ceased. She touched ground on her feet, a thick trail of blood squeezing down the left side of her forehead. She frowned, distant from the pain, and stared down at the creature continually trying to grind her to dust against the rock; a few more minutes of this and her spine would be gone.

"Is your speech so stunted, monster?" she grunted.

The Skitter responded by thrusting harder; a crack emanated somewhere in Kushina's midsection and her left eye twitched, a bit of bile touching the back of her throat. "You have been claimed by the Dark One as its disciple—"

"I am _nobodies_—" she struggled to get out, but the creature jerked forward and her words slurred.

"Such an honor...is wasted on one born of the light. You...are not one of us...you are not one of us...you are not one of us…."

And it became a haunting chant, one that Kushina had not the ability to ignore; it entered into her head, drumming around painfully. She twitched, at wits end.

"_This madness will stop_. You speak as though I wanted this to happen," and she lifted her free hand, gashing it over the edge of her blade. What spilled forth was definitely blood yet Kushina's heart tripped a beat when she saw the beautiful scarlet tinged with black filth. The surprise was instantly bowled over by an uncontrollable rage—

"_How dare that monster corrupt me like this!_" she howled, and she leapt up, hovering for a few precious seconds before kicking out at the creatures distended chest. The collision sent it stumbling back on its sword-limbs, the punctures bleeding profusely, but Kushina wasn't through. She whipped her injured hand forward and from the gash burst a glistening black chain with a golden tip that wound itself around the creatures right sword-leg. "_Get over here_!"

And with strength inhumane, Kushina snatched that eleven-foot creature to the ground with a rumble that shook the very trees; she pulled as though it weighed no more than a twig instead of it's unearthly pounds, her forearm muscles flexing. It took all of three seconds to have the demon underneath her and she stomped down over its throat; she growled to the pain that shoot up like a rocket in her leg when those teeth shredded the underside of her foot. It was like stepping toe in a jar of acid; she could feel her brain beginning to sizzle coming in contact with this damned creature—

"I have questions...and you're going to give me answers—" she began, but then she suddenly shuddered, eyes widening, cheeks bulging. Without warning, she vomited blood, splattering the creature under her in a sea of chunky red….

_What the…?_

Dripping bile off her chin, she inhaled sharply when something jerked in her midsection; an instant later, a blade broke free of her flesh. The Skitter's unchained leg had somehow bent up and backwards, clumsily stabbing into her from behind.

Water leapt to Kushina's eyes…the pain…that haunting darkness from before was starting to creep in on the edges of her vision….

Defeat….

Second chance….gone….

_Death_, her mind scribbled in grisly white letters over the blackboard of her burning subconscious. She could see Naruto again…he was huddled over her dying body in the forest…laying a kiss over her forehead as they both sobbed about things neither could change…she could even hear his voice….

_Momma…no matter how far apart we are…I'll always love—_

The Skitter hissed, beginning to twist the blade and Kushina screamed for the blistering pain…and for her failure.

"_Die…Devil's Disciple._"

**XXX**

Preview: The journey just begins and already Kushina is incapacitated! As life leaves her body…she reflects….And where's the 'other' Kushina? Surely she must have noticed something? Find out next time in A Mother's Sword: Devil's Disciple!

A/N: See ya there.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Going For A Walk

**XXX**

Within her room there existed no noise save for the quaint scribble of a quill running over parchment. The contents were superfluous, hardly worth paying attention to, and she let her mind wander as it pleased, allowing it a brief rest before restraints were lathed on and she set into motion plans that would ultimately shift the balance of the entire shinobi world now and forever.

"He really is growing into a fine young man," she remarked softly to no one in particular, those blue eyes of hers looking out the window to her left where she was treated to a splendid view of a sparkling green forest. It glistened like an emerald diamond and a small smile graced Kushina's porcelain face. "He's come a long way from what he used to be indeed…."

Hearing this, one might think she was referencing her only child, Naruto Uzumaki, but the person in her mind at current was none other than Itachi Uchiha, the stoic young man whom she had saved mentally, and not more than a few hours ago had bested in a sparring match.

He'd challenged her, of course, as Kushina never initiated a duel, not since the time of her master, and for the most part, Itachi did well despite being forced to hold back a great deal of his strength.

Kushina felt the urge to chuckle but restrained it. Precautions were a must where those of the Zero Ninja Operation were concerned, members handpicked because of their vastly stark backgrounds. Though their compound resided in a part of the Konoha forest far away from the main village, there existed those with abnormally high chakra-reception skills and abilities, and all it would take was one sharp burst of chakra from say Itachi or Kushina herself before the alarm was raised and every sect from Chunin to ANBU came their way.

A war before its time in other words.

Kushina often entertained thoughts of introducing Little Crow to her own little bundle of happiness. Such thoughts she instinctively knew were nothing more than pipe dreams, delusions that she sometimes dwelled on to provide some sort of relief to her constantly churning mind.

Nevertheless, in her mind such an interaction would be good for the both of them, both mentally and physically. It did not take a Nara to see the gaping cracks left in Itachi's subconscious from having to deal a fatal blow to his own family, and it was painfully obvious to anyone who paid attention that every smile Naruto managed to force onto his face was fake, a ghost of what they both wished were real.

Although Itachi had his little brother, and planned on reserving him through the bloodbath they'd soon drown Konoha in, Kushina knew there was barely any salvation left in the little Uchiha but respected Itachi's desire. She didn't condone it—and could foresee all sorts of problems that came with allowing such a truly unstable mind to travel with them—but understood it perfectly.

Her quill stopped moving.

She blinked, casting a quick glance around the subtly furnished room, looking over the dresser that held a vanity mirror gifted to her by one of the other members, over her closet which housed a fair amount of clothing (necessary changes of clothes for blending in to whatever location she was sent to), and finally over her bed, which was positioned behind her writing desk, next to the door that seldom people had the bravery to walk through.

Sensing nothing, she reached over towards the window and pushed it out, allowing the earthen musk of nature to rush by in a pleasant breeze that she inhaled as her crimson locks were rustled. The scent of nature in its all its glory...it soothed her so.

She pursed her lips and affixed her tongue so that when she blew outward a shrill chirping noise echoed into the trees, the sound carrying for a good distance.

Less than a minute later, she could hear the faint sounds of fluttering—and then an eagle appeared on the windowsill, an eagle with a piercing black beak and eyes colored the same shade as her hair, deep and gleaming. It's head twitched in her direction and she smiled at it.

"Immaculate timing as ever, my friend," she praised and the eagle released an ear-piercing screech in response. Nodding as though that conveyed some sort of message, Kushina stroked its beak with a finger before picking up her letter and giving it a once over with her eyes.

She wasn't quite sure what was driving her to do this, to send this letter to those who mattered, but such urges had proven themselves trustworthy namely by saving her life countless times. After rolling it up, she plucked from her head a single red strand of hair and cinched the note closed, affixing it to the eagle's leg.

She gave it a single tap on the beak.

"You know what to do," was all she said before the eagle gave the equivalent of a nod, namely by twitching its head, and falling backwards out the window. Kushina leaned forward, extending her head out in time to watch as the eagle spun midair, spread its wings, and caught a draft, soaring high into the air with another prideful screech.

After he became nothing more than a scarlet speck in the sky, Kushina sat back in her chair, arms crossed lightly over her bust. She remembered the day she first found that eagle...how it's black beak and obscure eye color seemed to call out to her...how it seemed adamant about pecking and clawing her to death even as she nursed it back to flying health. She still had a few scars that laced her back like knife wounds, something that Minato did not take too kindly to seeing and openly tried several times to do away with the bird. But Kushina stopped him every time, determined to tame the creature.

And she eventually did, just like everything else she put the time and effort into.

"Now then," she began, staring down at her light maroon negligee. It cut off midway down her thighs, revealing far more of her silken legs than she was comfortable with but Minato had picked it out for her...and it really wasn't that bed when she begrudgingly thought on it. The fabric was soothing to her skin, very breathable….

She shook her head, placing both hands on her desk and stood, scooting the chair back. "I have one more day before Konoha crumbles, till I finally meet my son and my mind is trying to make me see the good side of wearing this ridiculous thing." She sighed, massaging her temple with a finger. "You shame yourself, Kushina."

In a matter of minutes, Kushina was dressed, examining herself in the vanity mirror and feeling things beyond foolish. Thinking about Minato had driven her to dress in a manner very different from her usually strict Z.N.O attire. Being dubbed with the surname 'Little' by the Hokage granted her more permissions than most, one of which was being allowed to wear what she wanted.

Her hands followed the rather tantalizing curve of her hips, covered in a pair of form-hugging traditional hakama bottoms with the sides cut out, allowing the air to caress her skin in a way not entirely unwelcome. She wore a sleeveless tunic colored cream to contrast the black of her bottoms with a pair of tabi boots, and her hair had been pulled into a ponytail.

She was showing far more skin that she could ever remember showing since being revived...and she scowled when she saw an irritating hue of red seeping into her cheeks.

"Why...am I blushing?" she ground out, holding her arms firmly down at her sides. It crossed her mind to just tear everything off and adopt her natural attire. "This is simply idioti—"

She froze.

Her head snapped to the left, her pupils widening as a peculiar sensation sparked to life within her chakra system.

The blush faded almost as quickly as it came and all emotion left Kushina's face, a return to the killing machine of old as she crossed the room to her bed side, grabbing her legendary sword by the sheath and tying it over her back at a slant.

She took one more glance at the window, a cruel smirk twisting onto her lips.

"How long has it been?" she wondered cryptically before sweeping from the room.

**XXX**

The Zero Ninja headquarters consisted of a three story square building, rather bland and hardly imposing from the outside, but within, it carried all the intricacies and fancies of its members, which showed in everything from the furniture to the food cooked daily by the help. The third story was reserved for the members who had been graced with the title 'Little', while the second consisted of everyone else, and the first housed everything from a resting room, to a kitchen, to a sparring area; and it was understandably where a majority of members could be found, wondering here and there.

Kushina descended the final steps of the stairs, looking out in the wide expanse of the brightly lit sitting area, not surprised to find it virtually empty save for the few Unknowns moving here and there, cleaning tables and straightening books that lined some of the walls. Unknowns were the sanctified caretakers of the Z.N.O, ninja with backgrounds obscured in darkness and abilities that far outclassed a majority of the shinobi residing within Konoha but fell short of the ones they looked after. In a manner most similar to the 'Cage Bird' technique, Unknowns are bound through jutsu's that would bring a swift death should secrets past their tongues for whatever reason.

Their attire was something that automatically enshrouded them in a thick layer of mystery: covering their faces were featureless white masks with a single black question mark painted on, while cloth covered the back, and their clothes consisted of a glistening white two-piece suit complete with ties for the men and bow ties for the women.

Upon her appearance, every single Unknown in the sitting area straightened up at attention, their posture unnaturally straight.

"Good morning, Ms Uzumaki," rang out several differently pitched voices in perfect harmony, and they bowed.

As a sign of acknowledgement and nothing more, Kushina inclined her head a fraction of an inch before stepping into the area, sweeping past the motionless Unknowns on her way to the main foyer, which had a floor of reflective black marble. To the immediate right was a fully stocked bar helmed by an Unknown, installed for when members just back and they needed a fast and easily accessible stress reliever, an idea brought up by Sakuma.

To her credit, Kushina had never been one to partake in alcoholic beverages, no matter the stress or the reason or based off how badly Minato begged her to drink with him—the answer was always 'no'. She found it slightly comical how experiencing death could change ones perspective on things. Hard drinking still did nothing for her, but she took to wine-drinking like it was a natural calling, got her through many a rough night—especially the ones where her child lay crying on the floor with no mother to console him….

The moment those self-depressing thoughts reared up, Kushina instantly banished them with no more effort than it would take to flick off a fly. She strode to the left, towards the entry doors which consisted of a single square opening roughly carved into the strange material that made up the Z.N.O compound. There was no need for a door; the very idea seemed downright humorous and it lessened the often times felt sensation of being trapped with a bunch of silent, ghost-faced spectators. Members were free to come and go as they pleased, provided their reasoning was good enough….

"Ms Uzumaki, good morning," bowed an Unknown cordially, blocking her path to the door with three other Unknowns, one on the left and two on the right.

This time, Kushina did not bow back, nor did she speak.

Almost as if expecting her reaction, the Unknown farthest right spoke up, a woman. "Are you feeling up for a little walk this pleasant day, Ms Uzumaki?"

Out of pure instinct to whatever caused her the slightest bit of annoyance, Kushina's hand twitched with a longing to unsheathe her weapon, an action she felt sure every single one of the Unknown's caught easily enough. She mentally smirked as their posture stiffened.

"A short little walk, indeed," she replied amicably.

The women Unknown nodded and another spoke up, a man. "Would this short walk have any need of your sword, ma'am?" he questioned, and Kushina automatically knew that his eyes were trained on it, something that to this day astounded her as there were no visible holes on their masks.

"A short walk that may resort in some berry picking for a pie later on," she responded without missing a beat.

"A...pie."

She could hear the disbelief even through the mask and entertained the idea of just doing away with the four of them right now—but again, fought the urge.

"Yes, my pupil Little Crow did a most excellent job today during our sparring session and as a reward, some sort of confectionary dessert seems in order."

If only to have a ready excuse, Kushina made it a point to master the finer skills of all things culinary because more often than not she would have to leave the compound to get ingredients not found at a market. During such trips, she'd usually head straight for Naruto.

"What kind of pie, ma'am?" asked the middle left.

"Lemon poppy seed," came the immediate, slightly exasperated answer. A split second delay would have botched the entire thing yet Kushina had perfected her poker face to a fine science.

Without another word or question, the Unknown broke rank and stood aside, allowing Kushina through the entryway where she paused, deeply inhaling the rich, musky scent the forest provided; her ears perked to the gentle breeze, listening as it whistled through the firm trees topped with bright green foliage.

She felt alive.

And ready to tackle whatever had just tripped one of her defense mechanisms.

The Unknowns were not allowed to follow a Z.N operative once they've left the compound, a rule instilled after the vicious massacre that took place during which a Z.N.O got fed up with constantly shadowing and slew eighteen Unknowns in the span of three minutes.

Kushina flared her eyes with a seductive smile at the memory. She could not recall exactly what caused her to snap as she did, but could not deny that it had felt _good_. Damn good. It was also on that day Kushina realized that a weekly stress reliever of the same sort was necessary for keeping her mental mind in check as well as her wild urges to show herself to her child before the time was right.

"Now, then…let's go pick those berries shall we?"

And without a second thought, Kushina adjusted the weapon on her back and leapt noiselessly, not a single leaf on the ground stirred. She landed on a branch, crouched, and took off again, finding a rather speedy rhythm that made her nothing but a crimson glint in the distance to the Unknowns watching her from the compound's entrance.

**XXX**

A/N: Next time, the ground will quake when the Kushina of the past meets the Kushina of the future….


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sprained my arm something bad, and made it worse when moving. Sucks. (Don't lose your tongue.)

Chapter 5: Dues Ex Kushina

**XXX**

Darkness.

Cold darkness.

The red-haired woman known as Kushina could feel sticky trails of scarlet dripping off her chin, splattering the creature beneath her foot, the creature that held her immobilized by the sword jutting out from a point in her side.

This pain...she knew it well. When it viciously corkscrewed into her mind and brought forth recent memories of Ibiki, the current situation was almost pityingly comical. If it hadn't been for that _one_ moment, that _one_ fatal slip-up on her part—

"You will get no answers from me," the Skitter hissed defiantly.

To those words, Kushina sported a weary grin. "Fine. Matters not to me anymore." And it really didn't. Feeling had been lost from the waist down; her legs felt like ice-cold stone, unmovable and useless. She sniffed up a drop of blood that had escaped her let nostril, dredged up strength from will alone, and lifted her sword in a hand. "You don't have to say anything at all, monster. J-just...die."

And she drove it down into the featureless face where she figured the brain must be. She was surprised when her blade sank in as though carving butter, and received an even bigger shock when the mouth in its neck stretched to unholy proportions and loosed a bloodcurdling howl. It threw her sense of balance off-kilter and she would have fallen over if not for being gutted. Black lesions began to race from the point where her sword punctured flesh and from them erupted an acrid heat.

The howling continued, becoming pitched with increasing agony; the fissures suddenly expanded and Kushina's eyes flew open when the Skitter exploded in a sea of wispy black fog. The blade in her side vibrated—she sucked in her bottom lip at the pain—before it too melted into a corroded mist.

In the back of her dying mind, Kushina logged down precisely where she had stabbed the creature known as a Skitter figuring it would be nothing short of foolish not to expect another visit from one.

_That is...if I don't die now…._

The fall to her knees was quick and she clutched at the wound in her side, applying a pressure that did nothing to stop the copious amounts of liquid spilling over her fingers. She could fell the slit in her flesh and grimaced. It was less than two inches from where Ibiki had stabbed her….

Light. What she had originally taken as sparkles in her dying vision were actually balls of light...glowing spheres, five in all, that hovered around her in a wide circle. She glanced left, then right. No immediate explanation came to her and to even put forth any effort set off a spike of pain that caused her to groan.

So she watched as those luminescent golden orbs dove one after another into her sword, melding with the blade in a series of blinding sparks. What might have been a startled gasp escaped Kushina and she desperately reached for her treasured weapon, just managing to wrap her trembling fingers around the hilt as the last orb sank into it.

Something heavy and blunt struck her in the chest, like an invisible burst of wind, and an intense yet pleasurable heat radiated through her body, flowing from her temple down to her toes. Her fatigue disappeared, her mind was refreshed, the wounds she had endured were healed, the skin seemingly sewing itself back up.

Confused, she fumbled over the gash in her side and felt nothing but smooth, untouched flesh.

"I...what is this?"

_**It's what you wanted, is it not? What you asked for?**_

Her heart stuttered. _Damn it_.

An eldritch voice uttered something of a laugh and Kushina watched with subdued loath as the black of her blade bled into a shadow at its point, two glistening, scarlet slits emerging from the darkness.

_**You seem almost disheartened to hear from me, damned soul**_," the voice rumbled, just the mere sound enough to bring physical pain to the kunoichi who found herself unable to drop her weapon despite her attempts. _**You will want to watch your step from here onward, lest you fall prey to the other denizens of the Underworld looking to claim your hide**_.

That posed no problem for Kushina. She knew a Skitter's weakness now. Let a hoard of them come, it made no difference. "Your denizen's of damnation are the least of my concern. It should be _yours_ to give them proper training if they want to take me down." That was a bit of bravado that came out the mouth before she could stop it. She hefted her sword. "What were those spheres, and where have my wounds gone?"

_**You sound agitated that your life has once again been saved**_.

"_You _had a hand in it, demon," she snapped, again without thinking. "There is no 'saving' when you interfere, now _what did you do_?"

The shadow was silent. Then, _**With every ounce of defiance you administer, it makes your fast approaching roast all the more sweeter to imagine. Now, you will learn this and learn it fast or your child will suffer the consequences.**_ Kushina's repugnant expression fell away in an instant, a glint of rare apprehension to her eyes. _**It's such a personal pleasure to see you, a strong, immovable woman of power, fold like a kitten in the rain at a mere utterance.**_

"_You_—" Kushina started.

_**Another word from your accursed mouth and I shall rend your tongue from its cavity.**_

Knowing this creature's words were beyond truth, Kushina bit down on her tongue so fiercely she drew blood. A growl rumbled up somewhere in her throat but she otherwise remained silent.

The shadow quivered with an eerie laughter. _**Delicious. Now...as the Devil's Disciple, it is quite impossible for you to die.**_ A deliberate pause. _**So long as you continue to ingest the souls of the living. Their souls, their light, will act as it does with all the denizens of the Underworld, as the most potent healing agent one of your position can dare receive. You may go about this task a number of ways, damned soul. You can do away with humans one by one as you see fit, or attempt another tussle with a Skitter, which is an amalgam of five—**_

"I refuse," Kushina uttered, yet before she could properly finish the sentence, a heinous pressure crashed into her mouth and wrapped itself around her tongue. In a flash of pain and fear she felt the muscle in her mouth part way with the rest of her in an explosion of blood that she instantly began choking on.

_**I said 'one word', Hiro Shi**_**, **the shadow hissed, but Kushina had keeled over, the hand not wrenched around her weapon at her throat as she gagged, her agonized screams stunted before they even could feel it, her severed tongue, as it sloshed about nauseatingly in her mouth—

The ground before her was fast becoming drenched in scarlet fluids, thick trails of blood spilling over the kunoichi's bottom lip try as she might to staunch it by closing her mouth, but her cries made that impossible. Trembling, an idea pierced her dying mind like a javelin and she lifted her head towards the two crimson slits observing her suffering with a demonic glee.

"Uhh guuuckh...uhhgh guuyk…." That was best she could manage, a series of strained grunts that—

_**Say it again, damned soul. **_

Kushina blinked, a fresh stream of tears cascading down her cheeks before she parted her trembling lips and gurgled, "Uhh guuh! Unnh gyuuuk!" She forced it more desperately, blood dribbling down her neck, her eyes beginning to roll upwards.

The shadowed creature continued to observe the woman knelt before it, simultaneously struggling not to choke on her own fluids and keep conscious. With every trial tasked to her, whether given or tasked, she never seemed to show a hint of fear, of wanting to back out. The creature knew of countless other damned souls who had given up after receiving such treatment, but this one… she was still clinging to her life….

She still had _hope_.

_**Ah, therein lies the true pleasure, being able to watch as that accursed phenomenon called 'hope' turns into crushing despair. **_

It paused.

_**Be well, Hiro Shi**_.

And she was. Irrevocably healed of her previous ailments. The pain was gone and she was grateful to find her tongue reattached once more and began 'clicking' it almost playfully off the roof of her mouth. Blood still marred the ground and soaked into her top but she bypassed that, getting onto her knees before that cold, shimmering mass of darkness.

In the back of her head she knew it had fixed her, but what she couldn't parse was 'why'. Given past incidences, it only seemed natural for this creature to simply let her suffer, to just let her die and be drug down into the flaming pits to be handled however. But it had saved her… Maybe because she was worth more alive—able to deliver more mayhem when amongst the living—than dead…? It had mentioned something along the same vein before….

_**There is no hidden meaning to my actions. I only wanted to see you capitulate yourself before me. As I've said, you are quite beautiful when soaked in blood, like a grand apple, possibly the juiciest I have ever had the pleasure to grow. It's taxing, to let you continue on this impossible journey of yours when all I wish to do is devour you, but the wait...the wait will make the taste that much sweeter.**_ An odd, almost eerily seductive tinge had infiltrated the shadow's rumbling tone. Hearing it sent a shudder down Kushina's spine and made her feel unbearably dirty.

_Devour me,_ she repeated mentally, idly, her thoughts drifting to a certain blonde-haired man.

_**Seems even a hardened warrior such as yourself is capable of lustful thoughts**_, the shadow voiced, performing another mind intrusion. Kushina's face betrayed nothing, a straight mask of indifference. _**Now, you seem to mistake me giving you a choice in your method of extracting a soul in place of literal fulfillment. Allow me, damned soul, to make this clear. The choice is not yours—it will never be yours, it is mine, and mine alone. Once a life has been lost, it can never fully be regained**_.

Even with her training, Kushina twitched quite visibly, her chest tightening. "What do you mean? Explain yourself."

_**I will not explain myself to one such a cursed fate, but I will explain your situation, certainly. Your body moves, but your soul, what keeps your ever-decaying husk from rotting away...that resides with me**_.

An enraged howl born from strength renewed exploded from Kushina's throat and she was on her feet, eyes narrowed into snakelike slits that rivaled the crimson pair glinting back at her. "I'm sick of your lies, creature! You said you would bring me back—you gave me your _word_!" she screamed and birds took to the air.

_**And I have, damned soul. I have given you the second chance you requested. No, the second chance you yearned for. Listen to me and listen well: life can only flow one way. That was how you humans were created; consider it a failsafe to the unthinkable. Once that life has been spent, no matter the way or form, it cannot be regained. You breathe and you walk and you talk and you feel anger over my words...but you are still without the core element that allows you to be 'alive'. Know this: the end of your journey will not be a joyous one. There will be no happy ending. You **_**will **_**die. And it will be painful, and regardless of whether or not you managed to correct your demonic child's path, you will be dragged back down to the hell you have been granted a pardon from.**_

_You will die…._

_It will be painful…._

_You will be dragged to hell…._

The crimson-haired kunoichi closed her eyes, able to clearly see those three truths written all across the blackboard of her mind. A life could not be regained...no matter the reason or circumstance….She was nothing but a walking husk...That creature, it was the owner of her soul….

Her eyes began to burn. Water began to gather.

_Naruto_.

It was getting progressively easier to bring her son's beaming face to the forefront of all her worries, and for this, she was ever thankful. In the past, she could only ever catch mental snippets of his infectious laughter, but now her ears were full of his carefree voice and all she saw was his smile. He really was handsome, growing into a fine man.

'_I'll never leave you again_'. She remembered how his whiskered face lit up at her promise.

She drew strength from his smile and opened her eyes again, refusing to let even a single tear free. For whatever it was worth, she had been given a miraculous 'third' chance to do things right, and God as her witness, she would just have to find a way to overcome this deadly creature and reclaim her spot at Naruto's side.

_Through hell or high water_, she vowed internally, loud enough to ensure that this demonic shadow heard.

_**That little world you've built within your mind, the one where you and your demonspawn are together as one and happy...that will never come to be but you are free to think as you wish. He will have to obtain a fondness for hugging corpses**_, it added and Kushina blinked, unenthused and unperturbed by its jibe._** You need to ingest souls—they will keep your body running as it should. By doing this you could technically 'live' until your skin eventual corrodes of old age, if you so please. But, and this is nonnegotiable, you will be assigned a specific person to kill daily. You will receive information on your insignia. The souls you ingest to keep your deteriorating body operable are not counted towards that specific individual so be wary. Break either of those laws….**_

It paused.

Kushina quirked her left brow.

"If I break either of those laws...what happens th—" A scream slurred the rest of her words and Kushina pitched forward at the pain that ignited somewhere in her midsection; she tripped over a gnarled tree root, falling to her hands and knees, her weapon clattering to the forest floor. It vibrated with a muted laughter.

_Don't scream...don't you dare scream again_, she growled at herself, and she lifted a quivering arm, formed a fist, and rammed it into the dirt. A plume of dust hit the air when the ground ruptured, just cracked under the weight of her strike. She struck again and again, concentrating on the pain of her knuckles as the fire roasting her from the inside slowly began to dissipate.

That damn creature was still laughing.

By the time she felt normal once more, a fine sheen of sweat glistened off Kushina's exposed skin; she was still on her knees, forehead to the grass, her chest heaving.

"Why...are y-you doing this...to me?" she asked through gritted teeth, eyes burning.

_**Why? The answer is simple, damned soul, Hiro-Shi, 'Mother' Kushina...because you deserve it**_.

And the shadow melded back onto her blade.

Kushina remained on her knees, thinking, pondering, questioning the truth behind that demon's reason. _It's a lie...that...it has to be a lie…._

Like a playback reel, a long line of faceless mannequins flashed across her mindscape, each of them a target she had been tasked with seeing off the planet, each of them just a random person she never knew outside of a name. She had never been fond of killing, preferring to 'preserve' life rather than snuff it out, which went against the way of the ninja at its core principal but she _treasured _life, and she _treasured_ her son more than life.

He was the only reason she did what she did: why she had accepted the third Hokage's absurdly twisted helping hand, why she went here and there, why she followed orders she inherently _knew_ were wrong, why she slit that persons neck or threw this person over a cliffs edge.

When he suffered, God help her, she felt it ten times worse. All the years watching him silently, having no choice but to bear witness to the atrocities that damn village put him through. His tears, his screams, his wounds...all things a mother could fix. A mother who had to turn her back to her own child as he was hurt, when he was alone and confused. But that had been for him as well. For his dreams. And that's all she wanted for him, to see that smile as he achieved what he anguished over: to become Hokage.

She planted her palms on the ground and began to slowly push herself up. He was smiling in her mind. "No matter where I wind up, my precious Naruto...I will see you become Hokage before this ends.…"

Her wrist suddenly jerked and she lifted it, watching with little next to no emotion as the insignia carved into her skin began to bubble and froth with a foul, black substance. On the heart appeared the portrait of a man, one in his mid-twenties, she wagered, analyzing in a heartbeat. Judging by his immaculately parted hair, and the monocle hooked into his right eye, he came from money, a good bit of it. Two seconds later, she knew who this man was. Three seconds later, she knew that she would have to kill this man before the day ended.

It was there she pushed all else from her mind and killed her heart of feeling. She had a mission to do—

"And it looks like it found me first." Jaw firming, Kushina looked up as a terribly monstrous chakra fell over the forest clearing like a lead weight. It came off as a grounder to reality when she saw herself standing on a tree branch, perched like an eagle and quietly surveying with those piercing (eye color) irises. She found it odd how this past version of herself was wearing a sleeveless tunic and hakama bottoms with the sides out...why show so much skin…?

For a moment, the two women merely stared at one another, each one sizing the other up, before the past Kushina performed a small backflip, landing with elegance unheard of. She stared this peculiar, bedraggled version of herself up and down with a blank face, tilting her head a ways to the right.

"Well, now...this promises to be interesting."

**XXX**

A/N: Oh here we go….


End file.
